You are here: Home > Transport and Streets > Gypsies and Travellers
Gypsies and Travellers
We are part of a countywide unit which was set up to deal with issues around Gypsies and Travellers and to try to balance the rights of everyone involved.
To find out about the Countywide Traveller Unit (CTU) visit Northampton Borough Council website or contact them at:
Countywide Traveller Unit
Kingsthorpe District Housing Office
Harborough Road
Northampton
NN2 7BB
Telephone: 01604 837247
Email ctu@northampton.gov.uk
Fax 01604 837230
Why do Gypsies/Travellers lead a travelling lifestyle?
Travelling has been their way of life for many generations. They travel the country and stay in various locations for a short time to earn a living.
Can the Council move Gypsies/Travellers when they are camped without the landowners permission?
If they are camped on Council land, the CTU can evict them. If they are on private land it is usually the landowners responsibility.
If they are camped on private land, what can the landowner do?
Talk to them and see if you can agree a date for them to leave. If you can't agree, then you can take court proceedings to evict them.
If you decide to let them stay you must make sure you're not in breach of planning rules otherwise we could take proceedings against you as the landowner. Contact the CTU for more advice.
What can the Council do when Gypsies/Travellers camp on the side of the road or on other Council-owned land?
The CTU will consider each case on its own merits. They will visit the site to make sure the Gypsies/Travellers are keeping it tidy and not causing public health problems. This can mean we will sometimes collect rubbish from the site. If they are causing problems, the CTU will move them on as soon as possible and reasonable. To evict them from the land, the CTU must follow a set procedure through the courts which can take some time.
Gypsies and Travellers have the same human rights as everyone else and should not be discriminated against. The courts can decide that the Gypsies/Travellers should stay on the site if there are unavoidable reasons why they should not be moved.
What can the police do?
In certain circumstances where there is serious criminality or public disorder, the police can act. Trespass on land is not, on its own, a criminal offence but the police will investigate if there are any criminal or public order offences relating to a Gypsy or Traveller site.
For more information and advice on anything to do with Gypsy and Traveller issues, contact the CTU on the details at the top of the page.
To find more information about Gypsies and Travellers visit Friends, Families and Travellers website.